Apparatus for assembling insulated terminals

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for assembling sleeve insulators to a succession of terminals comprising a plurality of insulator retaining means, indexing means successively to place each insulator retaining means in first and second operative positions, insulator feed means to place an insulator within an insulator retaining means, and forming means for forming the insulator in the insulator retaining means in the first operative position. Feed means is provided for advancing the succession of terminals to place a terminal adjacent the second operative position insulator retaining means, and support means internally supports the adjacent terminal. The apparatus further includes assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a second operative position insulator retaining means onto an adjacent terminal responsive to the operation of the forming means and support means; the feed means and indexing means are operative responsive to operation of the assembly means to advance the succession of terminals and to index the insulator retaining means.

[451 Aug. 27, 1974 United States Patent 1191 Weber et al.

ABS IRACT APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING Apparatus for assembling sleeve insulators to a succession of terminals comprising a plurality of insulator retaining means, indexing means successively to place h insulator retaining means in first and second 0perative positions, insulator feed means to place an insulator within an insulator retaining means, and forming means for forming the insulator in the insulator retaining means in the first operative means is provided for advancin minals to place a terminal adja position. Feed 22 Filed: June 20, 1973 mm 6 f0. 00 d .m am e cw We m t n 6 c Appl. No.: 371,682

tive position insulator retaining means, and support [52] US. 29/203 D, 29/208 F means internally supports the adjacent terminal. The

apparatus further includes assembly means for assem- 4F DD ms 33 90 00 .1 22 n. an SD mu 9 S n 42, T M M MD N 3 E 43 T. a 0 d .t n A "6 hD n my C 1 .u @E n mm m wa m m m m mm m S LB Hun e T. 77 IM M mm 1 m UW m mi 77 1] 7.0. is m an UN 5 3 3 g.S ii l mma m pmemwell e dmm cPm w mm Qt C dn wnmmm ome MM% 0 ema e fi nmhapa o eo g m m o m n tu on ll mww .mwmmfm mm re 0 6c er mwmm mm w 8 U S S m m. w .m t w mm m mne w st OWH W t O e m pe d u pm m hs u n ssw o g m b mmm m o .unamma 8 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager mama,

PATENIEU mam APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING INSULATED TERMINALS This invention relates to apparatus for assembling insulated terminals.

Many sorts of apparatus have been devised for the assembly of insulated terminals. Some of these involve the use of heat to form or shrink the insulators; this introduces a safety hazard into the operation. Others again handle the terminals in loose piece form, requiring additional equipment to handle, convey and orient the terminals before they reach the assembly station. Other apparatus requires preforming the insulators, which then must similarly be oriented before they are fed to the assembly station. In some prior art apparatus the operator must handle either the terminal or the insulator or both at the assembly station, introducing a further safety hazard. Some types of assembly require the use of adhesives or separate fasteners, adding to the complexity and expense of the assembly operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for assembling insulators to terminals that accepts insu lators in cut tubular form, requiring no angular orientation before being fed to the assembly station. It is a further object to provide such-apparatus that does not require heat for forming the insulator or for assembling it to the terminal. Further, an object of this invention is to provide such apparatus that accepts terminals in strip form, eliminating the need for additional peripheral equipment to convey loose terminals to the assembly station and to orient them for assembly.

The apparatus of the present invention is particularly simple, reliable, and safe in operation, and does not require the use of ultrasonic or radio frequency equipment, the application of adhesives, or the use of additional fasteners. The terminals and insulators are accepted in forms that are easy to store, to handle, and to convey to the apparatus; they are delivered automatically to the assembly station and are there automatically assembled.

This invention provides apparatus for assembling sleeve insulators to a succession of terminals. The apparatus comprises a plurality of insulator retaining means, and indexing means successively to place each insulator retaining means in first and second operative positions. An insulator feed means places an insulator within an insulator retaining means, and forming means forms the insulator in the insulator retaining means in the first operative position. The apparatus further comprises feed means to advance the succession of terminals to place a terminal adjacent the second operative position insulator retaining means, support means to provide internal support for the adjacent terminal, and assembly means to assemble the formed insulator in the second operative position insulator retaining means onto an adjacent terminal responsive to the operation of the forming means and support means. The feed means and indexing means are operative responsive to operation of the assembly means to advance the succession of terminals and to index the insulator retaining means.

In preferred embodiments, the terminals are attached endwise to a carrier strip, and the apparatus comprises ratchet wheel means, providing a plurality of insulator retaining means, indexing means to index the ratchet wheel to place each said insulator retaining means in first; second and third angular operative positions successively, and insulator feed means to place an insulator within a first operative position insulator retaining means. The forming means cold forms the insulator in the second operative position insulator retaining means. Each insulator retaining means includes means to retain a form insulator in fixed orientation with respect to the ratchet wheel means. Stripper means are provided adjacent the second operative position insulator retaining means for admitting the forming means to form the insulator and for preventing withdrawal of the fomied insulator with the forming means. Feed means advances a carrier strip of terminals to place a terminal adjacent the third operative position insulator retaining means, and support means internally supports the adjacent terminal.

The apparatus further comprises cycle initiating means, the forming means and support means being operative responsive to the cycle initiating means to form an insulator and suppor an adjacent terminal. Assembly means are provided for assembling the formed insulator in the third operative position insulator retaining means onto the adjacent terminal responsive to operation of the forming means and support means, the feed means and indexing means being responsive to operation of the assembly meanS to advance the carrier strip and to index the ratchet wheel.

Prescoring means are provided for prescoring the terminals for later separation from the strip; the feed means advances the strip of terminals to present a terminal to the prescoring means before placing the terminal opposite the third operative position insulator retaining means; the prescoring means is responsive to operation of the assembly means.

Spinning means, responsive to said forming means and to said assembly means, is provided for expanding a portion of a terminal after its assembly with an insulator.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a portion of the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a lengthwise section of the insulator retaining means of the invention;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are end views of the insulator retaining means containing an unformed and preformed insulator respectively;

FIG. 6 is a view of a portion of the strip of bare terminals as supplied to the apparatus, 641 and 6b showing the terminals before and after prescoring respectively;

FIG. 7 is an end-on view of a bare terminal;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an unformed insulator;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a preformed insulator;

FIG. 10 is a view of a portion of the strip of assembled connectors produced by the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a view of an insulator during preforming;

FIG. 12 is a view of a terminal and insulator during assembly;

FIG. 13 is a view of an assembled connector with the insulator in cross section;

fig. 14 is a wiring diagram showing the control portions of the apparatus in schematic form;

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of a portion of the apparatus; and

FIG. 16 is a detailed view of the feed mechanism of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings and especially to FIGS. 6 through 10, the assembled connector 74 produced by the apparatus of the invention comprises a female metal terminal 18 of a well known type, providing a generally flat portion 90 having turned in edges and a cylindrical neck portion 92. Terminal 18 is connected at the end of flat portion 90 to a carrier strip 16. The unformed sleeve insulator, made of plastic insulating material, is supplied in cut cylindrical lengths 54, and is cold formed by the apparatus, before assembly, into the formed sleeve insulator 55 (FIG. 9). The formed insulator 55 provides an expanded belled portion 57 to fit over flat portion 90 of terminal 18, and an unexpanded neck portion 59 to fit neck portion 92 of terminal 18.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1, the apparatus of the invention generally comprises a prescore station 10, a forming and assembly station 12, and a spinning station 14. A metal strip 16 carrying terminals 18 is supplied at 22 from a reel, and is fed successively past stations 10, I2 and 14 by a feed finger (FIG. 15) at station 12. The assembled strip of insulated terminals is taken up at 24 on another reel.

More specifically, the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a prescore station 10, providing a prescore mechanism for scoring each terminal along line 28 (FIG. 6) for later separation from strip 16. A hinged arm 23 is spring-biased away from the terminals 18 carried on strip 16, and provides a knife edge 35 approaching lower knife edge 37. Extension arm 158 of moving element 154, reciprocated on ram 152, depresses arm 23 with each downstroke of ram 152, causing knife edges 35 and 37 to approach and prescore a terminal.

Beyond station 10, a sensing station provides a microswitch 27, which detects the absence of a terminal on strip 16.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 15, the forming and assembly station 12 includes a ratchet wheel 30, which is indexed clockwise by indexing pawl arm 32. Unformed sleeve insulators 54 are supplied from vibratory feeder 29 to pneumatic feed line 31 and are fed into a cham ber in wheel 30 occupying a first operative position; indexing of wheel 30 carries the insulator to a second operative position where it is preformed, and to a third operative position where it is assembled to a terminal on strip 16, as will be described. Air is supplied to feed line 31 through line 33.

Ratchet wheel 30, seen in more detail in FIG. 2, comprises three separate pieces. A toothed wheel 38 provides cylindrical recesses 40 axially oriented within wheel 38, and teeth 42 for engagement with pawl arm 32. Notched wheel 44 provides notches 46 axially oriented on its perimeter and corresponding in location to recesses 40 in wheel 38. Ring 48 surrounds the perimeter of notched wheel 44 closing notches 46.

Ratchet wheel 30 thus provides a plurality of axially oriented insulator retaining chambers 52, each having a cylindrical portion 40 and a closed notch portion 46, as seen particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4.

L-shaped stop plate 34 is provided adjacent the outer face of toothed wheel 38, and provides a single cylindrical opening 50 which registers with the uppermost cylindrical portion 40 in wheel 38. The insulator retaining chamber 52 in this uppermost position, registering with hole 50 in stop plate 34, is in a first angular operative position. Pneumatic feed line 31 inserts an unformed insulator 54 into each chamber 52 as it registers with hole 50 in stop plate 34 in the first operative position. Stop plate 34 closes the ends of the cylindrical portions 40 of all chambers 52 in the right-hand half of wheel 38 as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, except the chamber in the first operative position and the chamber diametrically opposite it in the lowermost position.

Stripper plate 36 is provided adjacent the outer face of notched wheel 44 and ring 48 and closes the ends of the notched portions 46 of all chambers 52 with the exception of two. First, stripper plate 36 provides angled slot 56 which registers with the insulator retaining chamber 52 two positions above and to the right of the lowermost chamber as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. This chamber is in the second angular operative position, in which the insulator is preformed. The dimensions of slot 56 in stripper plate 36 are such as to admit forming tool 60 but to retain the formed insulator 55 when tool 60 is withdrawn. Second, stripper plate 36 provides cut away portion 58 which leaves open the chamber 52 in the lowermost position, which is the third angular operative position, in which the preformed insulator is as sembled to the terminal. The chamber 52 that is in the third operative position is thus open at both ends.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the unformed cylindrical insulator 54 is rotatable within chamber 52, but the formed insulator 55 is retained by notched portion 46 of chamber 52 in fixed orientation with respect to ratchet wheel 30 during subsequent indexing of the wheel to the third operative position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 15, a motor drives shaft 142 continuously. Cycle clutch 192 is operated by press trip solenoid 187 in response to a microswitch signal, as will be described more fully in what follows; clutch 192 allows crankshaft 144 to rotate 360 and to reciprocate ram 152, which carries with it moving element 154. Ram 152 reciprocates within fixed block 156, which carries a microswitch 160, actuated by ram 152 on each upstroke. Moving element 154 carries an extension arm 158 and indexing pawl arm 32. At each downward stroke of ram 152, downwardly biased feed finger 20 (FIG. 16) is cocked and extension arm 158 operates prescore assembly 26, as previously explained; at each upstroke, pawl arm 32 indexes wheel 30 and ram 152 actuates feed finger 20 which indexes terminal strip 16.

Rear cylinder and piston assembly 162 provides an insulator forming tool 60 and a terminal support tool 64, both reciprocated by the piston. Rear cylinder assembly 162 is operated by air supplied through valve 166 (FIG. 1), operated by two control solenoids 168 and 170. Reciprocable forming tool 60 is moved by rear cylinder assembly 162 into the chamber 52 of wheel 30 occupying the second operative position (FIG. 11), to preform the unformed cylindrical insulator 54 contained in the chamber into the shape 55 (FIG. 9). Reciprocable support tool 64 is simultaneously carried forward by rear cylinder assembly 162 to enter and support a terminal during the assembly operation. A microswitch 164 is actuated when the piston is furthest forward toward ratchet wheel 30.

Front cylinder and piston assembly 172 provides an assembling tool 62 carried on the piston, which is operated by air supplied through valve 174, operated by one control solenoid 176. Reciprocable assembly tool 62 is carried by front cylinder assembly 172 into the cylindrical portion 40 of the chamber 52 occupying the third operative position, to carry the preformed insulator 55 out of chamber52 toward the terminal 18 and to assemble the insulator to the terminal (FIG. 12). The piston of assembly 172 actuates microswitch 178 when assembling tool 62 is forward with respect to ratchet wheel 30, andactuates microswitch 180 when tool 62 is retracted.

Detent ball and spring 66 (FIG. 2) are provided to locate ratchet wheel 30 precisely in registration with plates 34 and 36 and with tools 60, 62 and 64 after each indexing step by pawl arm 32.

Spinning station 14 provides terminal holding structure 68 and a spin cylinder 182 providing a reciprocable rotation piston carrying spinning tool 70, which is operated by air supplied through valve 184, controlled by solenoids 186 and 188. Terminal holding structure 68 is controlled by cylinder 190, which is operated through valve 184. Spinning tool 70 is carried forward to flare the edge of the cylindrical neck portion 92 of terminal l8 within the formed insulator 55; this operation permits a conductor to be more easily inserted for assembly to the insulated terminal. If desired, the neck 59 of the insulator may also be expanded in this operatron.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 14, an operation cycle may be initiated either by pushbutton 161 or by closure of microswitch 160 on fixed block 156. In response to either, solenoid l70actuates valve 166 to move the piston of rear cylinder assembly 162 towards ratchet wheel 30. In addition solenoid 188 actuates valve 184 to activate spin cylinder assembly 182 and to move spin tool 70 forward, while at the same time valve 184 activates cylinder 190 to close terminal holding structure 68. The piston of rear cylinder assembly 162 is moved forward until it contacts microswitch 164; in response, solenoid 176 actuates valve 174, causing the piston of front cylinder assembly 172 to move toward ratchet wheel 30.

The pistonof front cylinder assembly 172 continues forward until it contacts microswitch 178, which activates solenoid 168, causing valve 166 to retract the piston of rear cylinder assembly 162, breaking contact with microswitch 164. In response, solenoid 176 is deactivated, and the piston of front cylinder assembly 172 is retracted until it contacts microswitch 180. In response, press trip solenoid 187 is activated, causing a downwstroke of ram 152. In addition solenoid 186 is simultaneouslyactivated causing spin tool 70 to be retracted and terminal holding structure 68 to open. On the upstroke of ram 152, microswitch 160 is activated, causing the apparatus to recycle.

In operation, strip 16 carrying terminals 18 is fed by finger past prescore station 10, forming and assembly station 12, and spin station 14. An unformed insulator is fed into each chamber 52 in ratchet wheel as it occupies the first operative position, so that an insulator occupies each chamber in the right half of wheel 30 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. As the piston of rear cylinder assembly 162 moves toward ratchet wheel 30, forming tool 60 is moved through slot 56 into the chamber 52 in the second operative position to form the insulator in that chamber, and simultaneously support tool 64 is moved forward into the terminal that is in position adjacent the chamber 52 in the third operative position. In response to the forward motion of this piston, the piston of front cylinder assembly 172 moves assembly tool 62 into the chamber 52 in the third operative position and assembles the formed insulator to the terminal supported on support tool 64. Simultaneously, at spin station 14-, the assembled connector then at the station is flared.

Forming tool and support tool 64 are retracted by rear cylinder assembly 162, in response to which assembly tool 62 is retracted by front cylinder assembly 172. This retraction causes press trip solenoid 187 to be activated, causing a downstroke of ram 152, which operates prescore station 10. On the upstroke, feed finger 20 feeds the terminal strip forward, pawl arm 32 indexes ratchet wheel 30, and the apparatus recycles.

The assembled connectors 74, still attached to strip 16, are then taken up at 24 on a suitable reel. Assembled connectors 74 are now easily detachable from the carrier strip 16 by breaking along the prescored line 28. The breaking line is now within the insulator, so that after being detached, the connector has no conducting portion extending beyond the insulator.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for assembling sleeve insulators to a succession of terminals comprising a plurality of insulator retaining means,

indexing means successively to place each said insulator retaining means in first and second operative positions,

insulator feed means to place an insulator within a said insulator retaining means,

forming means for forming the insulator in said insulator retaining means in said. first operative position,

feed means for advancing said succession of terminals to place a terminal adjacent said second operative position insulator retaining means,

support means for internally supporting a said adjacent terminal,

assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a said second operative position insulator retaining means onto a said adjacent terminal responsive to operation of said forming means and support means,

said feed means and said indexing means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means to advance said succession of terminals and to index said insulator retaining means.

2. Apparatus for assembling sleeve insulators to a succession of terminals comprising a plurality of insulator retaining means,

indexing means successively to place each said insulator retaining means in first, second and third operative positions,

insulator feed means to place an insulator within a said insulator retaining means in said first operative position, forming means for forming the insulator in said second operative position insulator retaining means,

feed means for advancing said succession of terminals to place a terminal adjacent said third operative position insulator retaining means,

support means for internally supporting a said adjacent terminal,

assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a said third operative position insulator retaining means onto a said adjacent terminal responsive to operation of said forming means and support means,

said feed means and said indexing means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means to advance said succession of terminals and to index said insulator retaining means.

3. Apparatus for assembling insulators to terminals attached endwise to a carrier strip, comprising ratchet wheel means, providing a plurality of insulator retaining means,

indexing means to index said ratchet wheel means to place each said insulator retaining means in first, second and third angular operative positions successively,

insulator feed means to place an insulator within a said first operative position insulator retaining means,

forming means for cold forming the insulator in said second operative position insulator retaining means,

feed means for advancing a carrier strip of terminals to place a terminal adjacent said third operative position insulator retaining means, support means for internally supporting a said adjacent terminal, I

cycle initiating means, said forming means and support means being operative responsive to said cycle initiating means to form an insulator and support a said adjacent terminal,

assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a said third operative position insulator retaining means onto a said adjacent terminal responsive to operation of said forming means and support means,

said feed means and said indexing means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means to advance the carrier strip and to index said ratchet wheel.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said insulator retaining means includes means to retain a formed insulator in fixed orientation with respect to said ratchet wheel means.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 including stripper means adjacent said second operative position insulator retaining means for admitting said forming means to form the insulator and for preventing withdrawal of the formed insulator with said forming means.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 further including prescoring means for prescoring said terminals for later separation from said strip, said feed means advancing the strip of terminals to present a terminal to said prescoring means before placing the terminal adjacent said third operative position insulator retaining means, said prescoring means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 further including spinning means operative responsive to said forming means and to said assembly measn, for expanding a portion of a terminal after its assembly with an insulator.

8. Apparatus for assembling insulators to terminals attached endwise to a carrier strip, comprising ratchet wheel means, providing a plurality of insulator retaining means, indexing means to index said ratchet wheel means to place each said insulator retaining means in first, second and third angular operative positions successively, insulator feed means to place an insulator within a said first operative position insulator retaining means, forming means for cold forming the insulator in said second operative position insulator retaining means, each said insulator retaining means including means to retain a formed insulator in fixed orientation with respect to said ratchet wheel means, stripper means adjacent said second operative position insulator retaining means for admitting said forming means to form the insulator and for preventing withdrawal of the formed insulator with said forming means, feed means for advancing a carrier strip of terminals to place a terminal adjacent said third operative position insulator retaining means, support means for internally supporting a said adjacent terminal, cycle initiating means, said forming means and support means being operative responsive to said cycle initiating means to form an insulator and support a said adjacent terminal, assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a said third operative position insulator retaining means onto a said adjacent terminal responsive to operation of said forming means and support means, said feed means and said indexing means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means to advance the carrier strip and to index said ratchet wheel, prescoring means for prescoring said terminals for later separation from said strip, said feed means advancing the strip of terminals to present a terminal to said prescoring means before placing the terminal opposite said third operative position insulator retaining means, said prescoring means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means, and spinning means operative responsive to said forming means and to said assembly means, for expanding a portion of a terminal after its assembly with an insulator. 

1. Apparatus for assembling sleeve insulators to a succession of terminals comprising a plurality of insulator retaining means, indexing means successively to place each said insulator retaining means in first and second operative positions, insulator feed means to place an insulator within a said insulator retaining means, forming means for forming the insulator in said insulator retaining means in said first operative position, feed means for advancing said succession of terminals to place a terminal adjacent said second operative position insulator retaining means, support means for internally supporting a said adjacent terminal, assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a said second operative position insulator retaining means onto a said adjacent terminal responsive to operation of said forming means and support means, said feed means and said indexing means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means to advance said succession of terminals and to index said insulator retaining means.
 2. Apparatus for assembling sleeve insulators to a succession of terminals comprising a plurality of insulator retaining means, indexing means successively to place each said insulator retaining means in first, second and third operative positions, insulator feed means to place an insulator within a said insulator retaining means in said first operative position, forming means for forming the insulator in said second operative position insulator retaining means, feed means for advancing said succession of terminals to place a terminal adjacent said third operative position insulator retaining means, support means for internally supporting a said adjacent terminal, assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a said third operative position insulator retaining means onto a said adjacent terminal responsive to operation of said forming means and support means, said feed means and said indexing means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means to advance said succession of terminals and to index said insulator retaining means.
 3. Apparatus for assembling insulators to terminals attached endwise to a carrier strip, comprising ratchet wheel means, providing a plurality of insulator retaining means, indexing means to index said ratchet wheel means to place each said insulator retaining means in first, second and third angular operative positions successively, insulator feed means to place an insulator within a said first operative position insulator retaining means, forming means for cold forming the insulator in said second operative position insulator retaining means, feed means for advancing a carrier strip of terminals to place a terminal adjacent said third operative position insulator retaining means, support means for internally supporting a said adjacent terminal, cycle initiating means, said forming means and support means being operative responsive to said cycle initiating means to form an insulator and support a said adjacent terminal, assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a said third operative position insulator retaining means onto a said adjacent terminal responsive to operation of said forming means and support means, said feed means and said indexing means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means to advance the carrier strip and to index said ratchet wheel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said insulator retaining means includes means to retain a formed insulator in fixed orientation with respect to said ratchet wheel means.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 including stripper means adjacent said second operative position insulator retaining means for admitting said forming means to form the insulator and for preventing withdrawal of the formed insulator with said forming means.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3 further including prescoring means for prescoring said terminals for later separation from said strip, said feed means advancing the strip of terminals to present a terminal to said prescoring means before placing the terminal adjacent said third operative position insulator retaining means, said prescoring means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means.
 7. The apparatus of claim 3 further including spinning means operative responsive to said forming means and to sAid assembly measn, for expanding a portion of a terminal after its assembly with an insulator.
 8. Apparatus for assembling insulators to terminals attached endwise to a carrier strip, comprising ratchet wheel means, providing a plurality of insulator retaining means, indexing means to index said ratchet wheel means to place each said insulator retaining means in first, second and third angular operative positions successively, insulator feed means to place an insulator within a said first operative position insulator retaining means, forming means for cold forming the insulator in said second operative position insulator retaining means, each said insulator retaining means including means to retain a formed insulator in fixed orientation with respect to said ratchet wheel means, stripper means adjacent said second operative position insulator retaining means for admitting said forming means to form the insulator and for preventing withdrawal of the formed insulator with said forming means, feed means for advancing a carrier strip of terminals to place a terminal adjacent said third operative position insulator retaining means, support means for internally supporting a said adjacent terminal, cycle initiating means, said forming means and support means being operative responsive to said cycle initiating means to form an insulator and support a said adjacent terminal, assembly means for assembling the formed insulator in a said third operative position insulator retaining means onto a said adjacent terminal responsive to operation of said forming means and support means, said feed means and said indexing means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means to advance the carrier strip and to index said ratchet wheel, prescoring means for prescoring said terminals for later separation from said strip, said feed means advancing the strip of terminals to present a terminal to said prescoring means before placing the terminal opposite said third operative position insulator retaining means, said prescoring means being operative responsive to operation of said assembly means, and spinning means operative responsive to said forming means and to said assembly means, for expanding a portion of a terminal after its assembly with an insulator. 